What and who is authority?

[Someone here]

The question is, what is authority for? Protecting us from criminals and terrorists, internal and external enemies, or regulating the lives of citizens in every detail for arbitrary ideological reasons? I mean about citizens who respect law and follow rules.

Or both sides of coin are true at the same time?

The authority protects citizens from criminals, but who will protect citizens from authority?

How big should the authority be? Either a city state or empire? Multiethnic federation or centralized nation-state?

Which one is more effective? Which one is more harmful or useless? Which one is more dangerous?

See? There is a huge difference between authority and authority depending on size and social innervation.

Only the state's law enforcement should have authority? Or the authority can be peaceful, related to trust and social honor more than exclusively right of using violence?

There are so many philosophical questions are still open here. No one knows the answers, or no one cares.

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by Someone here

[Someone here]

Some would define Authority as those in power and control, but I tend to disagree. Parent, the police, traffic warden, teacher, adult: each would then be included. Strictly speaking, they are no more than in the position of directing and enforcing, period.

Authority is the establishment, in the broad sense of the word, including the establishment that be. Authority is assigned when there is substantive support and followers, but not necessarily a majority. For example. a country may have more Christians than Buddhists. With substantive following, both should be recognized as the Establishment. The same applies to the ruling party and the Opposition, and to the gay community, which long-suffering has come out of the closet. If only it had been recognized as the Authority sooner!

In a narrower sense, a teacher can be recognized as the authority, but only in the sense that he is senor and more knowledgeable, but not because he can assign homework and impose punishment. I don't know about you, but I had challenged a teacher, with no regret. Not smart? Fine, but I am no smart-ass.

Is a dictator the Establishment? Should you decline him as the authority at the risk of your life? My advice: Be smart, and lie as you must. Deep in your heart, stick with your conviction, which must come to pass, sooner or later, like freedom and democracy in Hong Kong, which you must support, at least as an Establishment

[Gesundheit2]

Authority is a denial of the physical and a seeking of the metaphysical. It's a movement away from materialism and towards idealism. That's why it always collapses in the end.

What is it for? Survival of the weakest physically by shifting power dynamics from physical to mental.

[Opo]

 

[Carl-Richard]

I think the term you're looking for is monopoly of force.

[hamedsf]

authority is a neurological wiring in your brain that make you weaker and submissive when you face that person, group in the external world.